Last-block-centering machine



ug. 19 1924. Y

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S. E.` BOYNTON LAST BLOCK CENTERING MACHINE Fil'ed Dec. 13 1920 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 19 1924. 1,505,129

s. E. BOYNTON LAST BLOCK CENTERING MACHINE Filed Dec. l5 1920 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Atag. i9, 1924.

Unirse srarss rnrgsur OFFICE.

STANLEY E. BOYNTON, F ROCHESTER,

"YORK, ASSIGNUR T0 FITZ-EMIPIRE DOUBLE PIVOT LAST COMPANY, OF AUBURN,MAINE, A COR/PGR iTION 0F MAINE.

LAST-BLOCK-CENTERZNG MACHNE.

Application filed December 13, 1920.

To all Lo/m may concern.'

Be it lrnvvn that I, STANLEY l. Born'ron, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of NewYork? have invented certain llmprovements` in Last-Bloclr-CenteringMachines7 of which the followingdescription in connection with theaccompanying drawings is aspecification7 like reference characters onthe drawings :indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to the nianufacture of lasts and in particular togauging the rough blocks from which lasts are turned in order toascertain more closely the particu* lar piece of Worlr for which a givenblock is adapted and to preparing the block forefficient and easy use inthe last lathe. The invention is disclosed in connection with apreferred form of Vso-called last block centering ji Shoe lasts areturned in the copying lathe from rough blocks which may be split fromthe timl er bolt into which the tree bole is served, or, as is generallythe case, have been already rcugh turned in a very heavy and rapidlycutting lathe of coarse feed. The blocks from which ments and .vomenslasts are made come in sin regular sizes7 l, 3,5() 7, 9, and ll. Theseblocks are long enough to turn out a last cf the indicated length withstubs l@ to one inch long, and thiclr enough to produce a last of thewidest Width used. Obviously these blocks contain vary much surplus.materiah and it is not advisable topnt the heavy Work of removing itall on the last lathe, as its accuracy is impaired by the heavyvibration and springing of parts caused thereby. lt is customary7therefore, to trim the blocks by hand on a circular saw so to removemuch of the surplus. This operation requires much judgment andexperience, as a sliglit error may not be discovered until aftcv thelast has been partly cut and found to run out of the block,`

serial No. 430,242.

(they now cost more than three times as much as before the European war,exclusive of transportation7 kiln drying and storage) has made necessaryfar more careful procedure than has heretofore been practised.

lt is an important object of the present intact With the supportedobject and to iny dicate the enr-ess or deficiency of the Work piece asregards the model. Preferably the feeler is orgzmizedy in combinationWith a direct reading apparatus to indicate ordi nary last sizes so thatwhen the feeler has been set on the model it Will indicate directly thenumber' of sizes of excess or deticiency in the block.

lanother important feature of the invention resides in the provision ofa block markA ing means for indicating the proper positioning of theblock in the last lathe in order'to obtain the maximum last from it asindicated by the above mentioned test. The marks are preferably made tofit the ordinary lathe dogs so that the suspension of the blocl; in thelathe is rendered very simple.

Another important feature of the invention provides for grading thefeelers into the positions they should assume in reference to a block orlast differing in size from the model. This is accomplished, in the ma*chine shown, by moving the feeler longhi-ir dinally along the last by aslide operated by a gradinglever adjustable to correspond with thelength of the last.

,another feature of the invention consists in a feeler organizationadapted to caliper an asymi'netrical model or bloclr,y and means forreversing the feeler arrangement Without loss of adjustment, tocorrespond to an object which is the refiectiou of the first objectcalipered. The machine shown is arranged, for example7 tor caliper aright model and block toe dog construction.

A standard 10 supports a bed 12, having a longitudinal dovetail rib 14.vA heel dog pedestal 16 is mounted on this rib. This pedestal will notnormally be moved, but can be made to slide on the dovetail 14 and toset in position by a set screw, as is well known. Once set in position,it will be very firmly clamped there. This pedestal is sur mounted by acap 18, hinged at 20 and fastened in closed position by the eye bolts22.

, Beneath the cap in the upper end of the pedestal is a longitudinalslot 24, preferably of rectangular crosssection to accommodate thecorrespondingly shaped spindle 26, haw ing a flange 28 to determine theposition of g the spindle by contact with the pedestal 16 and cover 18.The spindle has at its end a keyed taper 30 on which is mounted theblock heel dog 82. The taper and dog preferably correspond to thecorresponding parts in the last latli'e in order that the dogs may befreely interchangeable. A second spindle 34 is provided (see Fig. 4)with its taper (for example) one-half inch farther out from its flange28.4 This spindle is used with the model heel dog 36. The variation ofone-half inch in the spindle lengths is to assure a sutlicient stublength 38 in the block treated as will be seen.

A second pedestal 40, similar to the first,

vis adjustably mounted on the dovetail 14,

and provided with a set screw or clamp not shown. The toe dog spindle 42slides freely in the slot in this pedestal. and has an ordinary lastlathe block toe dog 44 mounted on its end. The heel dogs 82 vary in sizeaccording to the lasts out with them, but the toe dog 44 is always thesame. and need not be freely dismountable from the spindle 42. Twospindles 42 may be provided, one (not shown) one-half inch longer thanthe other kto be used with themodel toe dog 43, or the model toe dog maybe arranged to slip on over the block toe'dog 44 and to project onehalfinch beyond it, to secure the toe stub (Fig. 5)'.v A hardened cap 46 isplaced on the end of the spindle 42 to cooperate with a second hardenedcap 48 on the end of a p sliding rack 50, working ina pedestal 52arranged on the dovetail 14. The rack is operated by the handles 54keyed to a pinion in the ordinary mannei. The upper side of the rackcarries a scale 56 co-operating with an adjustable pointer 58 mounted onthe pedestal 52.

Initially the model dogs are placed in position, the model grasped inthem and the pointer 58 adjusted to the marked length of the last, withthe rack 50 in contact with the spindle 42. That is, if the model is a4, the pointer will be set at 4 on the scale 56, though the last mayactually measure a 6, due to a pointed toe. Then after setting otherparts of the apparatus not yet described, the model is removed and theblock dogs inserted, as shown in Fig. 1. These dogs are, for example,each one-half inch shorter than the model dogs, which will place theirtips an inch farther aaart than those of the model dogs were, tliepoints 46-48 in the block thus being in the same positions as the endsof the model, respectively.

After the block has been tested and placed on the dogs, as will bedescribed, the rack 50 is withdrawn and then driven smartly against thespindle 42, thus driving the dogs into the block and marking it formounting in the lathe. 1f the block is one inch longer than the model,the pointer 58 will read the model length on the scale 56 showing thatthe block is long enough for the model size with onedialf inch stubs. lfthe block is two inches longer than the model, the pointer will readthree sizes over the model size, showing that a last three longer can becut from the block, with one-half incl stubs. The maximum length of lastobtainable from a given block can thus be told by mounting it in themachine.

A slide 60 is arranged to slide on the doveY tail 14. This slide carriesa transverse dovetail rib 64 on which slides ay pedestal 66 clamped by ascrew 68. At the top of this pedestal are two pins on which are mountedtwo lingers 72, geared together at 74 and normally held closed by aspring T6. Sliding in a groove in the rib 64 are two stops 80, 82operated by a. right and left screw 84. The pedestal 66, having been setin proper position under a right model, with its feelers 90 (describedbelow) in contact with the sides of the model will be somewhat offcenter on the rib 14, due to the asymmetry of the last. Now if the stops80, 82 are set up until one of them contacts with the pedestal` thepedestal can be set iroperly for a left model or last by merely slid ingit over to contact with the other stop. which is just as far to theother side of the line of centers of the rib 14. 'lfhe slide 6() is notclamped to the rib 14, but is normally movable for grading purposes, :iswill be described.

lil

A. pointer 86 is set screwed to a pin 70, and a scale 88 is mounted on alinger 72 to co-operate with it. When a model has been placed in themachine and the slide 66 adjusted so that the eelers 90, mounted on thefingers 72 and vertically adjustable as at 91, just contact With itsball portion on both sides, the pointer 86 may be set to read as desiredon the scale. (For practical pur poses it is regarded as desirable thatthe block be one-fourth inch oversize everywhere. That means that itWill be about sin sizes Wider than the last cut from it. The scale 88 ispreferably graduated so that its unit represents the ringer movement,due to a change of one Width size in the model grasped. The pointer Willtherefore be set at -6 on the scale.) When the model is removed and theblock inserted and the eelers 90 brought up toit, the pointer will thusread directly the maximum last ball that can be cut from it on thisone-fourth inch oversize assumption.

The slide also carries pedestal 92 in Which is mounted a pin 94, intowhich is threaded a screw 96 with a contact point 98, and operable by aknurled head. The pin 94 rests on a Wedge 102 Which runs through a slotin the bottoni of the pedestal 92, and is held in adjusted position by ascrew 104. The end of the Wedge reads on a graduated scale 106. Thisscale has the saine signilicanoe as the scale 88 already discussed. Whenthe model has been inserted the Wedge Will be set to read -6 and theknurl turned to place the eeler 98 in contact with the bottom of theball. The Wedge is then pulled out and the block inserted. When theWedge is replaced and slid in until the teeler 98 touches the bottom ofthe block the end of the Wedge Will `read directly the maximum last ballbottom which can be cut from the block in this position on the dogs,upon the oneffourth inch oversize assuinption.

Another slide 108 is mounted on the rib 14 under the heel portion of thelast, and may be clamped in position by a screw 110. lts l'eelers 112are not shown as vertically adjustable. @therwise the construction isentirely similar to that of the slide 60 and its associated parts andits description need .not be :repeated here.

At the rear oli the machine a column 112 is mounted on the base 12. Thiscolumn carries a vertical dovetail rib 114, upon which slides a slide116, operated by a lever 118, pivoted at 120 on 'the column 112, and atreadle not shoivn. The slide 116 carries a forwardly extending'U-shaped arm 1201, the arms of the U having several pairs of aligningslots 122, in each of which pairs of slots slides a rack 124.` Themiddle of the U carries an arm 126, provided with corresponding slots125. The bottoms oit the arm 126 and of the right hand U arm are slottedas shown at 128 and bars 160 are fastened in the slots. F our racks 124and bars 180 are shown, but the numbermay be varied as desired.

The bars 130 serve as guides for the slides 132, which are all alilre,and are mounted one on each bar 130 and held in adjusted position by aset screw 134. The slides each contain a vertical slideway in whichworks a rack 136 engaging a pinion 138 on an airis 140 in the slide 182.rlihe slides 132 contain also a second horizontal slidevvay in which theracks 124 slide in co-operation with the pinions 138.

The slide 116 carries a bracket 142 on which is pivoted agridiron-shaped grading lever 144 shown as composed of sin parallel bars146 united in a gridiron by a bolt 148, suitable spreader pieces 150 anda pivot bolt at 152, hinging the lever to the bracket 142. Four of thebars 146 carry each a slide 154 held in adjustable position by a setscrew 156. This slide carries a pin 158 extending laterally from it andWorking pivotally in a .sl-ot 160 in the top of one oil the racks 186.'Swinging movement oiI `the lever 146 vWill thus raise or lower the racks136 and operate the racks 124.

The pin 158 associated with the left hand bar 146 (F 8) Werl-:s in aslot in a grad` uated vertical slide 162 which Works in a slide 164Which runs on a graduated horizontal bar 166, 'fastened to a bracket 168bolted to the slide 116. The graduations of the bar 166 and slide 164are the ordinary shoe size graduation of one-third inch per the distancefrom the end 167 oi'V -the scale on 166 to the reading point 169 equalsthe `size and the parts are so proportioned that distance from the pivot152 to the pin 158 on the bar 162. The graduation on the bar 162 readszero When the lever is horizontal, as shown. i

The pin 158 associated with the right hand bar 146 (F ig. is simplypivoted to' a linlr 170, the lower end oi" which is pivoted to a pin 172arranged to be clamped in slot 174 in the rack 176 by a Wing nut 178Without affecting the pivotal relation betvveen the pin and the link170. The raclr 176 operates a pinion 180 in a slide 182 in a verticalguide in Which Works the raclr 176 and which is adjustable along the bed12 by a slideivay and set screiv 184. The

pinion 18.0 operates a rack 186 Which is pivoted at its end to the slide60 at 188.

The ends of the racks 124 each carry a lined traine 190 in Which ivorlrsa vertical slide 192 With a feeler 198 at its lower end and having pin194 in a cam slot 196 in a lever 198 pivoted at 200 on the frame 190.The lever 198 is arc-shaped and carries a movable scale 202 on itsperiphery, and a .pointer 204 is iixed to the frame 190 in co# i its pin158.

pointers 20e.

-maximum one-fourth operation with the scale. The horizontal distancebetween each feeler 193 and its associated pin 158 is uniform and equalto the distance of the feeler 98 on the slide 60 from The scale 202 andcam slot 196 arel so` related that a scale interval corresponds to themovement of a teeler 193 corresponding to an .increase of one size inidth in a last suspended on the dogs, and the graduation of the scale ispreferably arranged as an equicrescent one, the slot being so shaped asto cause the proper movement ot' the teeler 108 any distance from theaxis oic centers. f

'When the model has been set in the machine, the eelers 108 and theslide 60 are adjusted te the desired positions along the model 'byloosening the set screw 68, 1811, 1341, 156, the lever lll-; beinghorizontal. The slide 169i is also adjusted to read the actual measuredlength of the model on the scale 166. The Ylieelers 198 Will be broughtdown to the model by rotating the levers 198 and the scales 202 will beset at -6 on the All the set screws Will be tightened. When the vblockis inserted the lever 111% vill be moved so that the scale 'on the bar162 reads the excess or deficiency in length as compared with the modelof the proposed last to be cut from the block. This will move the racks136 and 124i to move the lingers 20e-and the slide 108 to the positionsinto which they should grade in order to reach the points on the blockWhich correspond to the contact points ot' the model. For example, itthe last is to be tWo sizes longer than the model, the end of thegrading lever will be lowered two-thirds inch as shown by the scale onthe slide 162. All the l"racks 1241 Will then be moved to the right inFig. 1 by the fractional parts of tivo-thirds inc-h which the distancesof the corresponding feelers from the heel end of the model are of thetotal model length. The heels of all models and lasts come to the samepoint 116, which has the same longitudinal geometrical relation to thepoints on the last in front of it as the pivot 152 has to the bars 186when they are in position to place the vvleelers 198 over the saidpoints on the last,

respectively. The mechanism being thus set, the scales 202 Will indicatedirectly the inch oversize last which can be cut from the block in thevicinities of their associated eelers 204.

Itis not necessary to grade the slide 108, since its movement Would beso small, and the Whole operation When carried out on a rough last blockis not a delicate one any- Way.

The foot treadle and lever 118 Will be used after loosening the nut 178to raise the feelers 2011 and all their associated mechanism' Wellout ofthe Way When the model is being removed and the block inserted.

In practice, the operator will endeavor to position the block in thedogs so as to obtain from it a certain last, and then drive in the dogs,rather than put the block in the dogs Without regard or otherconsiderations. The kreceding explanation, for the salie of simplicity,has tacitly assumed that the block is in position and that the feelerswill then tell what can be done with it at different points, Whereas theactual procedure is somewhat diferent, as just men tioned.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as neu7 and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A centering machinehaving dogs for engaging the Work, and an alternate set of dogs forengaging the model, the dog supporting means being constructed andarranged to hold the model dogs within the positions occupied by thework dons, to provide for adequate stubs on the Wor 2. A centeringmachine having dogs for engaging a Work piece, one of said dogs beingmovable to accommodate Work of varying sizes, and to indicate directlythe length et the last corresponding to a given model which can be cut-from the work piece.

A Work gaging machine ai anged to support a model or a work piece, andhaving a :teeler arranged to contact with the surface o'f the objectheld in the machine and to indicate the excess or deficiency of the Workpiece as regards the model.

t. A Work gaging machine arranged to support a model or a Work piece,and having a teeler arranged to be moved along the object held in themachine to contact with its surface at a desired point and to indicatethe excess or deficiency of the Work piece as regards the model.

5. A Work gaging machine arranged to hold a model or Work piece incorresponding positions. a teeler projectable to touch the lateralsurface of the model or Work piece, and means for directly reading theexcess or deficiency ot the Work piece at the point of contact, asregards the model.

6. A gaging machine arranged to hold a model or a work piece incorresponding positions, having a i'eeler movable to touch the surfaceoi the model or work piece in corresponding points, and means comprisinga cam and a scale for moving the eeler and indicating the excess ordeficiency of the Work piece over the model at the contact point.

A machine ot the class described, an ranged to hold a model or a workpiece in corresponding positions, having a feeler movable laterally otthe inode] or Work piece to contact with the model or work piece incorresponding points, and movable also longitudinally of the model orWork piece to reach different localities thereon, and a llt) directreading apparatus for indicating the excess or deliciency of the `workpiece over the model at the point ot contact.

8. A machine of the class described, arranged to hold a model or a workpiece in corresponding positions, having a eeler movable laterally ofthe model or work piece to contact with the model or work piece incorresponding points, and movable also longitudinally of the model orwork piece to reach diii'erent localities thereon, the eeler beingorganized for directly indicating the excess or deficiency of the workpiece over the model at the point ot contact, and mechanism Yforlongitudinally grading the leeler into the same position regarding thework piece as it occupies regarding the model.

9. In a machine of the class described, arranged to hold a model or awork piece in corresponding positions, a ieeler movable laterally of themodel or work piece to contact with the model or work piece incorresponding points, and movable also longitudinally of the model orwork piece to reach diiierent localities thereon, and a scale forindicating the excess or deliciency of the work piece over the model atthe point o't contact, and mechanism for longitudinally grading theteeler into the same position regarding the work piece as it occupiesregarding the model, comprising a pivoted lever and a connection betweenthe feeler and the lever whereby the :teeler is moved longitudinally ofthe work piece by movement of the leven 10. ln a gaging machine arrangedto hold a model and work piecev in corresponding positions, a feelermovable along the object held to reach a desired feature thereof, agrading lever and a connection between the leve-r and the eeler wherebythe feeler is moved by the lever into corresponding positions in respectto the model and work piece,

ll. A gaging machine arranged to hold a model and work piece incorresponding positions, having a teeler movable along the object heldto reach a desired feature there-- of, a grading lever and a connectionadjustable along the lever in correspondence to the adjustment of theteeler along the object and running between the lever and the teelerwhereby the 'feeler is moved by the lever into corresponding positionsin respect to the model and work piece.

12. A machine of the class described arranged to hold a model and workpiece in corresponding positions, having a feeler movable along theobject held to reach a desired feature thereof, and a grading lever anda connection of invariable effective length adjustable along the leverin correspondence to the adjustment of the feeler along the object andrunning between the lever and the -feeler whereby the ieeler is moved bythe lever into corresponding posi tions in respect to the model and workpiece.

i3. ln a machine of the class described, arranged to hold a model and aywork piece in corresponding positions, a slide movable along the objectheld and carrying a laterally movable ifeeler, a grading lever, amembei' adjustable along the lever, and a connection between the memberand the slide whereby their corresponding movements due to theadjustment are proportional.

ld. ln a machine of the class described, arranged. to hold a model and awork piece in corresponding positions, a slide movable along the objectheld and carrying a laterally movable feeler, a grading lever, theeilective length of which is adjustableto correspond to the modellength, a member adjustable along the lever and a connection between themember and the slide, whereby the member and teeler may be placed insimilar relation to the lever and model respectively and whereby alsomovement of the lever .on its pivot corresponding to the excess ordel'iciency in length of a work piece over the model will grade the`leeler into the same geometric position along the work piece.

l5. A machine of the class described having feelers arranged to contactwith the opposite sides of a model, and means for moving thel teelerorganization on one side out of operative relation to the model to'facilitate removal of the model and substitution of an oversize block.

16. A machine ot the class described, arranged to hold a model last or alast block in corresponding positions, having caliper members gearedtogether for equal opposite movements and arranged to engage theopposite sides of the model or block and two stops for positioning theentire caliper organization for rights. and le'fts respectively.

1'?. A machine of the class described, arranged to hold a model last ora last block in corresponding positions, having caliper members arrangedto engage the opposite sides o't the model or block and two stops forpositioning the entire caliper organization for rights and leftsrespectively.

18. A machine of the class described, arranged to hold a model last or alast block in corresponding positions, having caliper members arrangedto engage the opposite sides of the model or block and two stops gearedtogether by a right and left screw for positioning the entire caliperorganization for rights and lefts respectively.

19. A machine ot the class described, arranged to hold a model last or alast block in corresponding positions, having caliper members gearedtogether for equal opposite movements and arranged to engage the0pposite sides of the model or block and arranged to slide laterallytogether to contact with rights and lefts as desired and two stops forpositioning the entire caliper orn ganization forrights and leftsrespectively.

I- proper'position in the machine which is to operate upon it.

21.A 'block centering machine having rmeans for impressing jig-marks ona last block, and a feeler arranged to contact in predetermined relationto said means with `a model and last block similarly placed in themachine and to indicate the excess or deficiency of one over the other.

22. A block centering machine having means for similarly gaging a modeland last block to indicate the excess or deciency of one over the other,and means for impressing dog marks in the block whereby it may besuspended in a last lathe.

23. A block centering machine having means for similarly gaging a modeland last block to indicate the excess or deficiency of one over theother, and means for impressing dog marks in the block whereby it may besuspended in a last lathe, said marks occupying the same positionrelatively to the gagedp'oints in the block as the corresponding modeldog marks do yto the corresponding gage points of the model.

24. A block centering machine having ordinary last lathe model dogs forsupportinga model and provided with last lathe block dogs whereby ablock may be similarly supported and feelers arranged to contact with asaid supported object to indicate excess or deficiency of one over theother, the block dogs being relatively movable to iinpress dog marks inthe block whereby it may be hung in the last lathe.

A block centering machine having.r

means for engaging last lathe dog marks point and directly indicatingthe excess or deiiciency at the point of the one over the other, theengaging means being movable to impress marks in the block.

27. A last block centering machine having two interchangeabledog-systems arranged to hold and mark a model and block respectively,the model and block dogs corresponding to the same end of the model andblock diilering in length by the desired block-stublength.

28. A last block centering machine having dogs movable to mark a lastblock for engagement with a last lathe, in combination with a feelermovable to engage a block snspended on said dogs and to indicatedirectly the excess or deficiency thereof over a model last.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specilication.

STANLEY E. BOYNTON.

